Viewers of Bill O’Reilly’s nightly commentary program, “The O’Reilly Factor,” know that the conservative pundit is, nearly by definition, pro-business. But his love for the laissez-faire economy is evidently discriminate, if last Friday’s “Talking Points Memo” is any indication.
In the segment, O’Reilly introduced an issue that he fears will influence the swing of the 2012 presedential election: the late night comedy lineup’s treatment of running candidates and how liberal bias plays a factor. To illustrate his point, he played a collection of clips in which Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, David Lettermen, Stephen Colbert, and Jon Stewart made jokes at the expense of the remaining GOP contenders.
The issue of journalistic neutrality is actually one that deserves impartial, objective analysis. Unfortunately, that’s not quite the issue Bill was talking about and, even if it was, it received nothing of the sort.
Take his guest panelist Ben Stein, who railed against the so-called “mainstream media,” calling it liberal leaning and “anti-business.” But within the context of late night comedy, jokes at the expense of Republican politicians may be the epitome of free enterprise.
This requires an understanding of the causal relationships that dictate the free market. Economists, like Stein, collectively label these “supply and demand” principles. Attacking Jon Stewart for disproportionately insulting conservative officials is akin to criticizing the boutique owner pushing the latest trends in fashion. For the late night crew, younger demographics dominate. If they don’t, the network will demand they do. Younger demographics bring in the most advertising revenue and, incidentally, tend to be more liberal. Therefore, pandering to their liberal audience is financially advisable.
Secondly, TV show hosts are not governmental officials or AP journalists. They are, in this situation, comedians and free to express any ideological leaning they see fit. Their hesitation to offend their audience is one of financial incentive. So there is a proverbial box, so to speak, that contains the comedian’s political and social commentary, but this box permits expression in a very free-market manner.
Lastly, I disagree with O’Reilly’s implication that comedy programs shape the electorate’s political convictions. I once again cite supply and demand to argue that demand directs the allocation of resources and the nature of Jay Leno’s typically populist monologue. The same is true for the whole gang of late night crusaders. Why are so of them left leaning, you ask, Bill?
Consider the time slot; consider the demographic attracted to that time slot; consider the political leaning of that demographic; and then consider the economic system that our nation proudly employs.
Mr. Stein–there is nothing anti-business about that. Complaining about it, on the other hand, I cannot say the same for.